West Africa · Side
Ablo (Steamed Fermented Corn and Rice Cakes)
Pillowy, sweet-and-sour steamed dumplings made from fermented corn and rice batter, paired with fried coastal fish and fiery pepper relish.
The story
Originating from coastal Southern Togo and parts of the Mono River basin, Ablo represents the pinnacle of indigenous West African lactic acid fermentation. These translucent, spongy steamed cakes grace family lunch tables on weekends and feature prominently at coastal festivals like the Glidji Epé-Ekpé. Unlike common flatbreads, authentic Ablo relies on a pre-gelatinized cooked corn mush (called 'aflata') folded into raw fermented rice flour, a technical emulsion technique that traps steam bubbles during boiling to yield its distinct soufflé-like springiness.
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